Mounting device and contact apparatus and method for  mounting a contact apparatus on a mounting device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a mounting device ( 101 ) for mounting a contact apparatus, to a contact apparatus mountable on the mounting device and to a method for mounting a contact apparatus on a mounting device of a rapid-charging system for electrically driven vehicles, in particular electric buses or the like, wherein the contact apparatus serves to form an electrically conductive connection between a vehicle and a stationary charging station comprising a charging contact unit ( 100 ), wherein the contact apparatus can be arranged on a vehicle, wherein the contact apparatus comprises a contact device ( 114 ), wherein the contact device can make contact with the charging contact unit, wherein the contact apparatus comprises a positioning device ( 113 ), wherein the contact device can be positioned relative to the charging contact unit and to the vehicle in the vertical and horizontal direction and can be brought from a contact position ( 115 ) on the charging contact unit into a mounting position ( 117 ) on the mounting device on the vehicle by means of the positioning device, wherein the mounting device forms a receiving opening comprising a guiding device, by means of which the contact device can be positioned in the mounting position in the horizontal direction, wherein the guiding device is designed to guide the contact device into the mounting position.

The invention relates to a mounting device for mounting a contactapparatus, to a contact apparatus mountable on the mounting device andto a method for mounting a contact apparatus on a mounting device of arapid-charging system for electrically driven vehicles, in particularelectric buses or the like, wherein the contact apparatus serves to forman electrically conductive connection between a vehicle and a stationarycharging station comprising a charging contact unit, wherein the contactapparatus can be arranged on a vehicle, wherein the contact apparatuscomprises a contact device, wherein the contact device can make contactwith the charging contact unit, wherein the contact apparatus comprisesa positioning device, wherein the contact device can be positionedrelative to the charging contact unit and to the vehicle in the verticaland horizontal direction and can be brought from a contact position onthe charging contact unit into a mounting position on the mountingdevice on the vehicle by means of the positioning device, wherein themounting device forms a receiving opening comprising a guiding device,by means of which the contact device can be positioned in the mountingposition in the horizontal direction, wherein the guiding device isdesigned to guide the contact device into the mounting position.

Similar contact apparatuses and charging contact units are known fromthe state of the art and are commonly employed for rapid charging ofelectrically driven vehicles at a stop or stopping place. Electricallydriven vehicles used in local transport, such as buses, can becontinuously supplied with electrical energy via an overhead wire, forexample. However, that requires an overhead-wire system to be presentand maintained. To be able to use the advantages of an electric drivewithout a network of overhead wires, it is known to equip means ofpublic transport with batteries or with another kind of energy storage.These present the disadvantages of a limited range of the vehicle and ofthe batteries needing to be recharged after a comparatively short timeof travel. However, continuous operation of the vehicle can be ensuredif the batteries can be rapidly charged during a stop of the vehicle atstopping place.

In this context, different systems for forming an electricallyconductive connection between a charging station, which is stationarilyarranged in the area of a stopping place, and a vehicle or electric busare known from the state of the art. For instance, a so-called currentcollector comprising a contact strip may be arranged on a roof of theelectric bus, a rail running lengthwise in the direction of travel ofthe electric bus being suspended above a driving lane in the area of thestopping place. When the electric bus stops at the stopping place, thecurrent collector is moved from the roof of the bus upward against therail, and an electric connection is thus formed for the duration of theplanned stop of the electric bus at the stopping place so that rapidcharging can take place during this period. However, in particular twomutually independent current collectors and corresponding contactingareas at the rail are required in order to be able to form a chargingcircuit.

Furthermore, it is known to arrange multiple contact elements on acurrent collector that are realized as a contact strip and to bring theminto contact with a corresponding number of parallel rails arranged inthe direction of travel of the electric bus. In this way, it is possibleto produce a greater number of contact pairs simultaneously with asingle current collector or a single contact apparatus. Electricalconnecting lines additionally formed in this way between the chargingstation and the vehicle can be used to control and monitor a chargingprocess, for example.

In another known rapid-charging system, a contact apparatus is arrangedon a roof of an electric bus in such a manner that an arm that can beconnected to a charging contact unit that is integrated in asuperstructure of the stopping place or in a building can be extendedperpendicularly to the direction of travel of the electric bus. In thiscontext, it is particularly disadvantageous that the electric bus has tobe positioned by a driver in a particularly exact manner in a predefinedposition at such a stopping place in order to be able to form aconnection at all between the electric bus and the charging station.

However, a number of problems can also occur in stationary chargingcontact units or rails that are arranged above or laterally of anelectric bus stopping at a stopping place. In particular as a functionof a payload of the electric bus, the electric bus may be positioneddeeper or higher relative to the charging contact unit during a stop.When the electric bus is lowered on the entry side to assist thepassengers in entering the bus, then too, the contact apparatus or theused contact strips shift relative to a charging contact unit or rail,an electrical contact possibly being interrupted. If parallel rails areused, it is necessary in that case as well, by the way, to position theelectric bus in a relatively exact manner in a designated area at thestopping place. A position diverging from the designated position of theelectric bus and a one-sided lateral lowering of the electric bus mayprevent a successful contact or connection between the vehicle and thecharging station and present a significant risk potential. For instance,conductors may be unintentionally contacted or connected and shortcircuits may occur, which may damage components of the rapid-chargingsystem or harm people in the vicinity.

Since, in principle, contacts of the contact apparatus have to be movedtoward the charging contact unit potentially located above the vehiclein the horizontal direction in order to form an electrical connection, adrive by means of a positioning device is necessary. A position of theelectric bus diverging from a designated position and a lateral loweringof the electric bus have to be accommodated by a possible displacementof the contact apparatus or of the contact elements in a horizontaldirection transversely to a direction of travel of the electric bus andrelative to the charging contact unit and to the vehicle. In this case,too, a drive for displacing the contact elements in the horizontaldirection may be required. In case of a motor drive, for example,additional means for detecting the actual positions and the targetpositions of the contact elements and for controlling the respectivedrive are required. This leads to significant costs for realizing thepositioning device. Also, the use of the mentioned means presents anincreased risk of failure for various reasons, such as unfavorableweather conditions. Moreover, it is necessary to perform regularmaintenance on a positioning device realized in this manner includingthe option of positioning the contact elements on two axes and toreplace the components of the respective drives, if needed.

Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide a mountingdevice and a contact apparatus and a method for mounting a contactapparatus on a mounting device that allow safely forming a contact whilekeeping the operation of the means of transport cost-effective.

This object is attained by a mounting device having the features ofclaim 1, by a contact apparatus having the features of claim 7, by arapid-charging system having the features of claim 16 and by a methodhaving the features of claim 17.

The mounting device according to the invention for mounting a contactapparatus of a rapid-charging system for electrically driven vehicles,in particular electric buses or the like, the contact apparatus servesto form an electrically conductive connection between a vehicle and astationary charging station comprising a charging contact unit, whereinthe contact apparatus can be arranged on a vehicle, wherein the contactapparatus comprises a contact device, wherein the contact device canmake contact with the charging contact unit, wherein the contactapparatus comprises a positioning device, wherein the contact device canbe positioned relative to the charging contact unit and to the vehiclein the vertical and horizontal direction and can be brought from acontact position on the charging contact unit into a mounting positionon the mounting device on the vehicle by means of the positioningdevice, wherein the mounting device forms a receiving opening comprisinga guiding device, by means of which the contact device can be positionin the mounting position in the horizontal direction, wherein theguiding device is designed to guide the contact device into the mountingposition.

Thus, when an electric bus, for example, stops at a stopping place, thecontact device can be moved by means of the positioning device and canbe moved toward the charging contact unit in a vertical and horizontaldirection and can be joined with said charging contact unit. A chargingcontact formed in this manner between the charging station and thevehicle comprises at least two contact pairs, each consisting of acontact element and an associated charging contact element of thecharging contact unit.

The charging contact unit can form a receiving opening for the contactdevice, wherein the contact device can be inserted into the receivingopening of the charging contact unit. The receiving opening canpreferably be V-shaped. In case the contact element support shiftsrelative to the receiving opening when the contact device and thecharging contact unit are being joined, the V-shape of the receivingopening causes the contact element support to be centered.

In this way, the receiving opening can form a guide for the contactdevice when the contact device and the charging contact unit are joined.Potential positional deviations of the vehicle stopping at a stoppingplace from a designated stopping position can thus be easily compensatedin that the contact element support is guided into a contact position atthe charging contact unit by the receiving opening.

However, it may be necessary to correct the positional deviation of thecontact element support or of the contact device relative to the vehicleagain for a new contact formation at the next stopping place. Otherwise,it may occur in the kind of contact formation described above thatformation of a contact is not possible at all because of the positionaldeviation of the vehicle to the charging contact unit and a positionaldeviation of the contact device relative to the vehicle since thecontact device is not arranged below the charging contact unit. Thiscould be remedied by motor-driven positioning of the contact devices inthe horizontal direction transversely to the direction of travel of thevehicle, but that presents the afore-described disadvantages. Owing tothe fact that the mounting device is used for mounting the contactapparatus and that the mounting device allows the contact device to bepositioned in the horizontal direction transversely to the direction oftravel, motor-driven positioning in the horizontal direction isunnecessary. This is in particular a consequence of the fact that themounting device forms the receiving opening comprising the guidingdevice. The contact device, which is moved toward the mounting device inthe vertical direction by means of the positioning device, enters thereceiving opening and is guided into the mounting position by means ofthe guiding device during the vertical downward movement. Thus, it is nolonger necessary to provide a motor drive or another kind of drive foraccurate positioning of the contact device in the mounting position. Atthe same time, the mounting of the contact apparatus or contact devicein the mounting position leads to the contact device being positionedfor contact formation at subsequent stopping places in such a mannerthat the contact devices is always positioned below a charging contactunit. In summary, the mounting device and the contact apparatusmountable in the mounting device thus represent a solution forhorizontal positioning or alignment of the contact unit relative to thecharging contact unit that is cost-effective and hardly prone to failurecompared to a horizontal drive.

The contact device can be centered relative to the guiding device bymeans of the guiding device. Accordingly, the guiding device can bedesigned in such a manner that the contact device is centrally alignedor centered on the guiding device transversely to the direction oftravel of the vehicle when the contact device is lowered into themounting device. Consequently, the guiding device can also be of anaxially symmetrical design.

In one embodiment, the guiding device can form a V-shaped receivingopening for guiding the contact device into the mounting position. Thus,the contact device is guided in a central area of the receiving openingand into the mounting position by means of the guiding device when beinglowered into the V-shaped receiving opening independently of a positionabove the receiving opening. In principle, the receiving opening canalso have a different shape that is suitable for the purpose ofpositioning the contact device and that can guide the contact deviceinto the mounting position.

Moreover, the guiding device can form a linear guide in the verticaldirection in the mounting position. In particular if a receiving openingis formed at the guiding device, the linear guide can be part of thereceiving opening. The linear guide can ensure that the contact deviceis lowered once more in the vertical direction after horizontalpositioning, whereby a potentially unintentional horizontal displacementof the contact device due to movements of the vehicle or the like can besafely avoided. Accordingly, the linear guide fixes the contact devicein the horizontal direction in the mounting position in a form-fittingmanner.

The guiding device can be made of plastic or metal and can be formed ina particularly simple and cost-effective manner by one or more sheets,profiles or the like, such as pipe profiles, for example.

It is advantageous if the mounting device has a cleaning device for thecontact device, wherein said cleaning device can be arranged anddesigned in such a manner that contact elements of the contact devicecan to come into contact with the cleaning device prior to or after amovement of the contact device into the mounting position. Thus, contactelements of the contact device can be cleaned at least during eachlowering or placement of the contact device in the mounting position.The same is possible during a vertical movement of the contact devicefrom the mounting position into a contact position. Potential dirt onthe contact elements, which might adversely affect the formation of anelectric contact connection, can thus be regularly removed from thecontact elements without much effort, which substantially increases theoperational reliability of the contact device.

In particular, the cleaning device can be a brush and/or a wiper. It maybe envisaged, among other things, that the brush and/or the wiper has anabrasive effect on the contact elements. For example, the wiper can bemade of a rubber-like material comprising abrasive particles. Thus, thesurface of the contact elements can be cleaned and, additionally, anoxide layer present on the surfaces can be at least partially removed,for example.

In the contact apparatus according to the invention for mounting on amounting device of a rapid charging system for electrically drivenvehicles, in particular electric buses or the like, the contactapparatus serves to form an electrically conductive connection between avehicle and a stationary charging station comprising a charging contactunit, wherein the contact apparatus can be arranged on a vehicle,wherein the contact apparatus comprises a contact device, wherein thecontact device can make contact with the charging contact unit, whereinthe contact apparatus comprises a positioning device, wherein thecontact device can be positioned relative to the charging contact unitand to the vehicle in the vertical and horizontal direction and can bebrought from a contact position on the charging contact unit into amounting position on the mounting device on the vehicle by means of thepositioning device, to wherein the mounting device forms a receivingopening comprising a guiding device, by means of which the contactdevice can be positioned in the mounting position in the horizontaldirection, wherein the contact device is designed to be guided the intothe mounting position by means of the guiding device.

The substantial aspect of the contact apparatus according to theinvention is that it has the contact device, which is designed to beguided by the guiding device of the mounting device. Hence, the contactdevice has a shape or elements that can come into contact with theguiding device so that the contact device can be guided into themounting position by the guiding device. With respect to theadvantageous effects of the contact apparatus, reference is made to thedescription of advantages of the mounting device according to theinvention.

The positioning device can have a pantograph or a swing arm, by means ofwhich the contact device can be positioned relative to the chargingcontact unit or to the vehicle in the vertical direction. In case of aswing arm, an additional linkage may be provided, which stabilizes thecontact device relative to the charging contact unit and aligns it inthe appropriate direction. A pantograph or a swing arm or acorresponding mechanical drive can be produced in a particularly simpleand cost-effective way.

The positioning device can further have a transverse guide, by means ofwhich the contact element support can be positioned transverselyrelative to the charging contact unit or to the direction of travel ofthe vehicle. The transverse guide can be arranged on the pantograph oron the swing arm of the positioning device. In both cases, the contactdevice arranged on the transverse guide can thus be displacedtransversely to the direction of travel of the vehicle. For example,this displaceability allows an incorrect positioning of the vehicle at astopping place to be compensated transversely to the direction oftravel. Moreover, potential movements of the vehicle due to a one-sidedlowering of the vehicle for entry and exit of passengers can becompensated in such a manner that the contact element support does notshift relative to the charging contact unit in the transverse direction.

The transverse guide can be arranged at a distal end of the pantographor of the swing arm. Thus, it is no longer necessary for the swing armor the pantograph to be moved transversely to the direction of travel;instead, it is sufficient to move only the contact device on thetransverse guide. Thus, a mass to be moved is reduced. Also, a smallertorque and no longer any substantial perpendicular forces act on apantograph or a swing arm. Preferably, the transverse guide can bepermanently mounted directly to the distal upper end of the pantographor of the swing arm so that the contact device can be easily moved onthe transverse guide.

The transverse guide can be realized as a straight linear guide or as acurved linear guide. The curved linear guide can then have a radius of acurve that corresponds to a height of the transverse guide above aroadway.

It is particularly advantageous if the contact device is arranged on thetransverse guide in a freely displaceable manner. This freelydisplaceable arrangement of the contact device significantly simplifiescompensation in case of tilting of the vehicle transversely to thedirection of travel due to one-sided lowering. In case of tilting, thepositioning device is inclined laterally, i.e. transversely to thedirection of travel, the contact device staying connected to thecharging contact unit and being displaced on the transverse guide. Thetransverse guide may be designed in such a manner that it is formed as aguide rail or comprises guide profiles for the contact element support.

Furthermore, it may be envisaged that the contact device has a contactelement support comprising contact elements. The contact elements can bedesigned in such a manner that they can make contact with chargingcontact elements of the charging contact unit so as to form contactpairs.

When the contact device has been displaced as needed on the transverseguide, the contact element support can be centered again on thetransverse guide in that it is aligned on the transverse guide orcentered in a rest position in the mounting position by means of theguiding device.

The charging contact unit can be composed of a charging contact elementsupport and of the charging contact elements, wherein the chargingcontact element support can be made of a plastic material. In this case,production of the charging contact unit is particularly cost effectiveand simple. For instance, the charging contact element support can alsobe made of plastic in one piece. In this case, the charging contactelements can be inserted into the charging contact element support orinto designated mounts or recesses.

Furthermore, the charging contact unit can be realized as a roof-shapedlongitudinal rail that can be arranged in a direction of travel of thevehicle. In this case, the charging contact elements can be arranged onan underside of the roof-shaped longitudinal rail so that the chargingcontact elements are not directly exposed to the effects of the weather.Also, the roof-shaped longitudinal rail can have a relatively longshape, making an exact positioning of the vehicle at a stopping placeunnecessary. Also, the roof-shaped longitudinal rail can preferably beopen at its ends so that the contact element support can also beinserted into and pulled out of the roof-shaped longitudinal rail in thedirection of travel.

In one embodiment, the contact device can be arranged on a roof of avehicle, which may be the roof of an electric bus or of a tramway car,for example. It may also be envisaged, for example, to position thecontact device on the roof of the vehicle in such a manner that it isarranged on a driver side of the roof of the vehicle in the direction oftravel. In this way, it is substantially easier for a driver of thevehicle to position the contact apparatus below a charging contact unitbecause it or its position is in the driver's line of sight.

The contact element support can form two, preferably three or morepositioning surfaces, which are designed to match guiding surfaces ofthe guiding device for guiding the contact element support. Thepositioning surfaces of the contact element support can then come to fitclosely to the guiding surfaces of the guiding device so that thecontact element support can be accurately positioned into its designatedposition in the mounting device when the contact device and the mountingdevice are joined. The guiding surfaces may in particular have ageometry or relative arrangement to one another that matches thepositioning surfaces in such a manner that a secure introduction of thecontact device into the mounting device into a defined mounting positionis ensured.

The contact element support can also have two rolling bodies, which aredesigned to come into contact with a guide track of the guiding device.The rolling bodies can each be realized as a wheel or in the manner of aroller, for example. Thus, the contact element support does no longerhave to slide along guiding surfaces but can simply roll along the guidetracks without large frictional resistance. Abrasion on the guide trackis thus minimized and damage to the contact element support is avoidedto the largest extent. Also, the rolling bodies on the contact elementsupport can be easily replaced if they are worn.

It is particularly advantageous if the positioning device of the contactapparatus has a pivot mechanism, by means of which the contact elementsupport can be inclined relative to a vertical axis of the contactelement support. In particular if a height of the contact elementsupport is greater than its width or depth, it is advantageous if thecontact element support can be inclined relative to the vertical axis ofthe contact element support and thus also relative to a horizontal roofof the vehicle. In this way, the contact element support can protrudeabove the vehicle roof far enough for a height of the respective vehicleto substantially increase. In principle, however, this is undesirablebecause passages of bridges, underpasses and the like might no longer beusable. Furthermore, the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle mightpossibly be impaired by the contact element support. If the contactelement support can be inclined, the mentioned disadvantages arecompensated at least in part or completely. In particular, it may beenvisaged to design the contact element support in such a manner that incan be inclined at an angle of 45°, preferably 30° and particularlypreferably 0° relative to a roof of a vehicle.

The pivot mechanism employed for this purpose can be realized as alinkage of the positioning device. The linkage can translate a movementof the positioning device during lowering of the contact element supportinto the mounting position into a pivoting movement. Thus, an additionaldrive for pivoting or inclining the contact apparatus can be omitted.The linkage can also be realized as a cam mechanism comprising a leverand a cam disk.

By means of the pivot mechanism, the contact element support can bealigned orthogonally relative to the charging contact unit in thecontact position and at an inclination relative to a horizontal roof ofthe vehicle in the mounting position. In connection with the mountingdevice, the contact element support can thus be inclined during contactformation with the guiding device.

The rapid-charging system according to the invention comprises amounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and/or a contactapparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 15. Furthermore, therapid-charging system can also comprise a charging station and acharging contact unit.

In the method according to the invention for mounting a contactapparatus on a mounting device of for a rapid-charging system forelectrically driven vehicles, in particular electric buses or the like,comprising a contact apparatus and a mounting device, the contactapparatus and the mounting device are arranged on a vehicle, wherein thecontact apparatus comprises a contact device, wherein the contact deviceis brought into contact with a charging contact unit, wherein thecontact apparatus comprises a positioning device, wherein the contactdevice is positioned relative to the charging contact unit and to thevehicle in the vertical and horizontal direction and is brought from acontact position on the charging contact unit into a mounting positionon the mounting device on the vehicle by means of the positioningdevice, wherein the mounting device forms a receiving opening comprisinga guiding device, wherein the contact device is guided and positionedinto the mounting position in the horizontal direction by means of theguiding device. With respect to the advantageous effects of the methodaccording to the invention, reference is made to the description ofadvantages of the mounting device and of the contact apparatus accordingto the invention.

Consequently, the method provides that after the contact apparatus hasbeen displaced in the horizontal direction relative to a direction oftravel of the vehicle because of a contact formation or joining with thecharging contact unit, the contact device is returned into the mountingposition or original position upon separation of the contact with thecharging contact unit and upon return into the receiving opening of themounting position prior to a vertical movement or positioning of thecontact device. The alignment or positioning of the contact devicealways takes place during a return into the mounting device when thecontact device has been moved in the horizontal direction because of theformation of a contact with the charging contact unit.

Other advantageous embodiments of the method become apparent from thedependent claims, which refer back to independent claims 1 and 7.

In the following description, a preferred embodiment of the inventionwill be described in more detail with reference to the accompanyingdrawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a rapid-charging system in a lateral view;

FIG. 2 shows the rapid-charging system in a front view;

FIG. 3 shows a charging contact unit of the rapid-charging system in aperspective view;

FIG. 4 shows the charging contact unit in a cross-sectional view;

FIG. 5 shows a contact element support of a contact apparatus of therapid-charging system in a perspective view;

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the contact element support along aline VI-VI of FIG. 9;

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the contact element support;

FIG. 8 shows a lateral view of the contact element support;

FIG. 9 shows a top view of the contact element support;

FIG. 10 shows a transverse guide of the contact apparatus of therapid-charging system in a perspective view;

FIG. 11 shows a second embodiment of a rapid-charging system in a frontview;

FIG. 12 shows a third embodiment of a rapid-charging system in aperspective view;

FIG. 13 shows a third embodiment of the rapid-charging system in a frontview;

FIG. 14 shows a fourth embodiment of the rapid-charging system in a topview;

FIG. 15 shows the fourth embodiment of the rapid-charging system to in afront view;

FIG. 16 shows the fourth embodiment of the rapid-charging system in alateral view;

FIG. 17 shows a mounting device in a perspective view;

FIG. 18 shows the mounting device in a lateral view;

FIG. 19 shows the mounting device in a bottom view;

FIG. 20 shows the mounting device in a front view.

A combined view of FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a rapid-charging system 10composed of a contact apparatus 11 and a charging contact unit 12. Amounting device is not illustrated in this case for reasons ofsimplicity, but it can be present. The contact apparatus 11 is fixed ona roof of a vehicle or electric bus (not illustrated) via electricallyinsulated legs 13. The charging contact unit 12 is suspended above theelectric bus in the area of a stopping place of the electric bus bymeans of a suspension device (not illustrated). The contact apparatus 11comprises a contact device 14, which can make contact with the chargingcontact unit 12, and a positioning device 15, by means of which thecontact device 14 can be positioned relative to the charging contactunit 12. The contact device 14 further comprises a contact elementsupport 16 comprising contact elements 17, which can make contact withcharging contact elements 18 of the charging contact unit 12. In theembodiment shown, the positioning device 15 has a swing arm 19, whichcan be pivoted via a pivot bearing 20 on an attachment frame 21 of thecontact apparatus 11. Furthermore, a linkage 22 of the positioningdevice 15 is provided, in which a rod 23 of the linkage 22 is connectedto a lever 24 of a transverse guide 25 of the positioning device 15.When the swing arm 19 is pivoted about the pivot bearing 20 at a lowerend 26 of the swing arm 19, the transverse guide 25, which is arrangedat an upper end 27 of the swing arm 19, is always kept in a horizontalposition via the linkage 22. Accordingly, the contact element support 16cannot tilt relative to a horizontal plane 80 during pivoting. Thecontact element support 16 is arranged on the transverse guide 25 in afreely displaceable manner transversely to a direction of travel, whichis indicated by an arrow 28. In this way, it can be ensured that thecontact element support 16 can freely align itself relative to avertical axis 29 of the charging contact unit 12 when the contactelement support 16 and the charging contact unit 12 are joined if thecontact element support 16 has not been positioned directly flush withthe vertical axis 29 during a stop of the electric bus. Even aftercontact has been made with the charging contact unit 12 by positioningthe contact element support 16 in a receiving opening 30 of the chargingcontact unit 12, the electric bus can be tilted relative to the verticalaxis 29 by one-sided lowering, if needed, wherein the contact elementsupport 16 can then be freely displaced on the transverse guide 25transversely to the direction of travel of the electric bus. Inparticular, the swing arm 19 is tilted by an angle (not illustrated)relative to the vertical axis 29 during lowering.

A combined view of FIGS. 3 and 4 shows the charging contact unit 12,which is substantially composed of a charging contact element support31, which is made of a plastic material, and of the charging contactelement 18. The charging contact elements 18 themselves are realized asconductor strips 32, 33, 34 and 35 and extend in the longitudinaldirection of the charging contact element support 31. Conductor strips32 and 33 serve to transmit a charging current, conductor strip 34representing a protective conductor and conductor strip 35 representinga control line. Apart from that, contact tabs 36 to 39 for connection tocables (not illustrated) are provided. The charging contact elementsupport 31 is substantially formed in one piece and has, among otherthings, reinforcement ribs 40 and attachment ribs 41 having passageopenings 42 for suspending the charging contact element support 31 froma pole (not illustrated) or the like. The receiving opening 30 isV-shaped in such a manner that two symmetrical sides 43 are connected toeach other via a horizontal bridge 44. The attachment ribs 41 form thebridge 44, among other things, and the reinforcement ribs 40 form thesides 43. Within the receiving opening 30, the charging contact unit 12forms contact surfaces 45 and 46 for the contact element support 16.Within each of the contact surfaces 45 on the sides 43, recesses 47 areformed for receiving conductor strips 32 and 33, respectively, in aflush manner, recesses 48 and 49 for receiving conductor strips 34 and35, respectively, in a flush manner being formed within the contactsurface 46 of the bridge 44.

A combined view of FIGS. 5 to 9 shows the contact element support 16 indifferent views. The contact element support is formed V-shaped at anupper end 50 relative with respect to a vertical axis 51 so as to matchthe receiving opening 30 of the charging contact unit 12. Twopositioning surfaces 52 are formed in an inclined manner relative to ahorizontal plane 53 and are connected to each other via a horizontalpositioning surface 54. Consequently, positioning surfaces 52 can comeinto contact with contact surfaces 45 and positioning surface 54 cancome into contact with contact surface 46. Two contact elements 17 arearranged within each positioning surface 52, which are realized as powercontact elements 55 and 56, respectively. In positioning surface 54, twocontact elements 17 are arranged, which are realized as a protectiveconductor contact element 57 and as a control conductor contact element58. The power contact elements 55 and 56 have electrically conductivebolts 59, the protective conductor contact element 57 has one bolt 60and the control conductor contact element 58 has one bolt 61. The bolts59 to 61 are elastically mounted in sleeves 62, 63 and 64, respectively,in a longitudinally mobile manner. In particular bolt 60 protrudesbeyond positioning surface 54 at a height H₁, bolts 59 protruding beyondpositioning surface 52 at a height H₂ and bolt 61 protruding beyondpositioning surface 54 at a height H₃. Height H₁ is greater than heightH₂, and height H₂ is greater than height H₃. Due to the differentheights H₁ to H₃, a defined contact order of the bolts 59 to 61 with theconductor strips 32 to 35 is inevitably achieved when the contactapparatus 11 and the charging contact 12 are joined or when the contactdevice 14 is inserted into the receiving opening 30, a first contactpair being formed first between bolt 60 and conductor strip 34, thenfour second contact pairs being formed with conductor strips 32 and 33via bolts 59 and finally a third contact pair being formed with bolt 61and conductor strip 35. When the swing arm 19 is lowered, said contactpairs are separated in the reverse order. Apart from that, the contactdevice has contact tabs 65, 66 and 67 for connecting lines (notillustrated). Contact tab 65 is connected to sleeve 62, contact tab 66is connected to sleeve 63 and contact tab 67 is connected to sleeve 64in an electrically conductive manner. At a lower end 68 of the contactdevice 14, a bottom plate 69 having sliding legs 70 is arranged. Each ofthe sliding legs 70 forms a support opening 71 having a sliding surface72. Via the sliding legs 70, the contact device 14 is connected to thetransverse guide 25.

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the transverse guide 25 comprisingthe lever 24 of the linkage 22. Furthermore, a hub 73 for rotatableconnection of the transverse guide 25 to the swing arm 19 is provided.The transverse guide 25 is substantially formed by a longitudinalprofile 74 that forms guide tracks 76 for the sliding legs 70 alonglongitudinal edges 75. The guide tracks 76 have a substantially roundcross-section, which is formed to match the support opening 71 of thesliding legs 70. A three-quarter circular shape of the support opening71 can thus ensure that the sliding legs 70 are connected to the guidetrack 76 in a form-fitting manner and can be displaced along the guidetrack 76. At each end 77 and 78 of the longitudinal profile 74, stops 79are attached, which prevent the contact device 14 from being pushed offof the transverse guide 25. The contact device 14 is thus freelydisplaceable along the entire length of the transverse guide 25 and ofthe longitudinal profile 74. In particular, if the longitudinal axis 81of the transverse guide 25 is pivoted about an angle relative to ahorizontal plane 80 by one-sided lowering of an electric bus, thelongitudinal profile 74, too, is displaced along the longitudinal axis81 so that the displacement can be compensated by displacing the contactdevice by the same amount along the guide track 76.

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of a rapid-charging system 82, which isdifferent from the rapid-charging system described in FIGS. 1 to 10 inthat it has a contact device 83 that is quipped with contact elements 84that are realized as conductor strips 85, 86, 87 and 88. A chargingcontact unit 89 has charging contact elements 90 that are realized asbolts 91, 92 and 93. A contact can be formed in the same way asdescribed above.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show a third embodiment of a rapid-charging system 94,which is different from the rapid-charging system described in FIGS. 1to 10 in that it has a bolt 95 as another contact element 17 and aconductor strip 96 as another charging contact element 18. The Bolt 95forms a locking contact element 97. By way of the locking contactelement 97, a secure data connection with a stationary charging stationcan in particular be produced.

A combined view of FIGS. 14 to 16 shows a fourth embodiment of arapid-charging system 98 comprising a contact device 99 and a chargingcontact unit 100 in different views. Furthermore, the rapid-chargingsystem 98 comprises a mounting device 101, which is illustrated in moredetail in FIGS. 17 to 20. As shown in FIG. 14, the contact apparatus 99is arranged on a roof 102 of a vehicle 103 together with the mountingdevice 101. The charging contact unit 100 is supported on a pole 104 andpositioned above the contact apparatus 99. The vehicle 103 is parked ata curb 105, that is parked parallel thereto, a direction of travel ofthe vehicle 103 being indicated by an arrow 106. The contact apparatus99 and the mounting device 101 are arranged on a left-side half 107 ofthe vehicle 103 relative to the direction of travel, where a steeringdevice (not illustrated) for the vehicle 103 is located.

In principle, the rapid-charging system 98 is realized similarly to therapid-charging system described in FIGS. 1 to 10. In contrast to thatrapid-charging system, a linkage 108 comprising two rods 109 is providedin this case. Each of the rods 109 is rotatably connected to levers 110,the levers 110 being permanently connected to a transverse guide 111,which is arranged in a pivotable manner on a swing arm 112 of apositioning device 113. A contact device 114 is arranged on thetransverse guide 111 in a freely displaceable manner transversely to thedirection of travel of the vehicle 103, a vertical axis 116 of thecontact device 114 being vertically positioned in an upper contactposition 115, and the vertical axis 116 of the contact device 114 beingpositioned in a lower mounting position 117 in an inclined mannerrelative to the roof 102 of the vehicle 103. The swing arm 112 issubstantially horizontally oriented.

The mounting device 101 is substantially composed of a base frame 118for mounting the mounting device 101 on a roof 102 of the vehicle 103and of a guiding device 119 and a cleaning device 120. The guidingdevice 119 is made of two curved tube profiles 121, which are curved andarranged in such a manner that a V-shaped receiving opening 122 for thecontact device 114 is formed. Furthermore, a linear guide 123 is formedin a vertical direction in the mounting position 117. In particular tubesections 124 of the tube profiles 121 form a guide track 125 for rollers126 that are arranged on the contact device 114, allowing the rollers126 to roll on and slide along the guide tracks 125. When being loweredinto the mounting position 117, the contact device 114 is centered inthe middle of the guiding device 119 in such a manner that the contactdevice 114 is also centered on the transverse guide 111. When a chargingcontact unit (not illustrated) is approached, the contact device 114 isthen aligned on the transverse guide 111 in such a manner again that thecontact device 114 can be introduced into the corresponding chargingcontact unit.

The cleaning device 120 is substantially composed of a brush 127, whichis arranged on the base frame 118 in such a manner that contact elements128 come into contact with the brush 127 in the mounting position 117and are cleaned by the brush 127 each time they are moved into themounting position 117 and out of the mounting position 117.

1. A mounting device for mounting a contact apparatus of a rapid-charging system for electrically driven vehicles, wherein the contact apparatus serves to form an electrically conductive connection between a vehicle and a stationary charging station comprising a charging contact unit, wherein the contact apparatus can be arranged on a vehicle, wherein the contact apparatus includes a contact device that can make contact with the charging contact unit, wherein the contact apparatus includes a positioning device positioning the contact device relative to the charging contact unit and to the vehicle in the vertical and horizontal direction and can be brought from a contact position on the charging contact unit into a mounting position on the mounting device on the vehicle, said mounting device comprising: a guiding device defining a receiving opening receiving the contact device to position the contact device in a mounting position in the horizontal direction, wherein the guiding device guides the contact device into the mounting position.
 2. The mounting device according to claim 1, in which the contact device is centered relative to the guiding device by the guiding device.
 3. The mounting device according to claim 1, in which the guiding device forms a V-shaped receiving opening for guiding the contact device into the mounting position.
 4. The mounting device according to claim 1, in which in the mounting position, the guiding device forms a linear guide in the vertical direction.
 5. The mounting device according to claim 1, in which the mounting device has a cleaning device for the contact device, said cleaning device being arranged and designed in such a manner that contact elements of the contact device come into contact with the cleaning device prior to and/or after a movement of the contact device into the mounting position.
 6. The mounting device according to claim 5, in which the cleaning device is a brush and/or a wiper.
 7. A contact apparatus for being mounted on a mounting device of a rapid-charging system for electrically driven vehicles, wherein the contact apparatus serves to form an electrically conductive connection between a vehicle and a stationary charging station including a charging contact unit, wherein the contact apparatus can be arranged on a vehicle, wherein the contact apparatus includes a contact device that can make contact with the charging contact unit, wherein the contact apparatus includes a positioning device, positioning the contact device relative to the charging contact unit and to the vehicle in the vertical and horizontal direction and brings the contact device from a contact position on the charging contact unit into a mounting position on the mounting device on the vehicle, wherein the mounting device forms a receiving opening, said contact apparatus comprising: a guiding device forming part of the mounting device and receiving the contact device in the receiving opening to position the contact device in the mounting position in the horizontal direction, wherein the contact device is designed to be guided into the mounting position by the guiding device.
 8. The contact apparatus according to claim 7, in which the positioning device has a transverse guide positioning the contact device transversely relative to the charging contact unit and to the vehicle, wherein the transverse guide is arranged at a distal end of a pantograph or of a swing arm of the positioning device.
 9. The contact apparatus according to claim 8, in which the contact device is arranged on the transverse guide in a freely displaceable manner.
 10. The contact apparatus according to claim 7, in which the contact device has a contact element support including contact elements.
 11. The contact apparatus according to claim 10, in which the contact element support forms two positioning surfaces, matching guiding surfaces of the guiding device for guiding the contact element support.
 12. The contact apparatus according to claim 10, in which the contact element support has two rolling bodies designed to come into contact with a guide track of the guiding device.
 13. The contact apparatus according to claim 10, in which the positioning device of the contact apparatus has a pivot mechanism, allowing the contact element support to be inclined relative to a vertical axis of the contact element support.
 14. The contact apparatus according to claim 13, in which the pivot mechanism is a linkage of the positioning device.
 15. The contact apparatus according to claim 13, in which the contact element support can be aligned orthogonally relative to the charging contact unit in the contact position and at an inclination relative to a horizontal roof of the vehicle in the mounting position via the pivot mechanism.
 16. A rapid-charging system comprising: a mounting device according to claim 1; and/or a contact apparatus having a guiding device receiving a contact device to position the contact device in the mounting position in the horizontal direction, wherein the guiding device guides the contact device into the mounting position.
 17. A method for mounting a contact apparatus on a mounting device of a rapid-charging system for electrically driven vehicles, having a contact apparatus and a mounting device, wherein the contact apparatus and the mounting device are arranged on a vehicle, the contact apparatus includes a contact device, said method comprising: bringing the contact device into contact with a charging contact unit; positioning the contact device relative to the charging contact unit and to the vehicle in the vertical and horizontal direction and from a contact position on the charging contact unit into a mounting position on the mounting device on the vehicle using a positioning device; and guiding the contact device into the mounting position in the horizontal direction using a guiding device receiving the contact device in a receiving opening defined by the guiding device. 